Plastic Person
TS Member
I don't know where I'll visit first: Fast Car Land, The Zone of Cars and Fast or Land of Fast Cars? They all sound so individual and tempting. Just to clarify, is this park somehow car themed? Fast car themed?
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PortAventura: General Discussion
- Thread starter DynamiteDaly
- Start date
I don't know where I'll visit first: Fast Car Land, The Zone of Cars and Fast or Land of Fast Cars? They all sound so individual and tempting. Just to clarify, is this park somehow car themed? Fast car themed?
Alex23
TS Member
Where is the information from, I can't seem to see it online??
siralgenon
TS Member
PortAventura&Friends, PAFANS and PortAventura Official
siralgenon
TS Member
20th Anniversary update
Major attraction renovations
For the 20th Anniversary PortAventura have stated two of their most popular attractions, Stampida and El Diablo: Tren de la Mina will be undergoing major attraction renovation works during 2015. El Diablo began refurbishment this year with the trains receiving new paint work, wheels, grab rails and lift chains to name a few changes, and will be continuing work into the new year. Stampida, which is well known for its roughness and uncomfortable trains has not yet begun renovation work, but from the announcement and the Resorts efforts in recent refurbishments, I wouldn't be surprised to see new trains among other changes to the attraction for the 20th Anniversary.
Major attraction renovations
For the 20th Anniversary PortAventura have stated two of their most popular attractions, Stampida and El Diablo: Tren de la Mina will be undergoing major attraction renovation works during 2015. El Diablo began refurbishment this year with the trains receiving new paint work, wheels, grab rails and lift chains to name a few changes, and will be continuing work into the new year. Stampida, which is well known for its roughness and uncomfortable trains has not yet begun renovation work, but from the announcement and the Resorts efforts in recent refurbishments, I wouldn't be surprised to see new trains among other changes to the attraction for the 20th Anniversary.
Sam
TS Member
The best news out of PA since Shambhala. Even if they had £100 trillion to spend on refurbs, neither of these rides could still get anywhere near being 'good', but hopefully this will see them moving out of the 'appalling' bracket. Stampida is my least favourite woodie in the world. Maybe with a full refurb it'll stop being horrible and boring and just be boring.
John
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
El Diablo isn't really that bad, it's pretty dull for the most part but it has it's moments. I'd say it's nowhere near the worst Arrow mine train out there and better than some of the Vekoma ones too.
Stampida on the other hand is just diabolical and needs major work - currently it's far too rough and far too slow.
Stampida on the other hand is just diabolical and needs major work - currently it's far too rough and far too slow.
Very pleased to hear PortAventura have taken the decision in 2015 to upgrade all the things which need improvement, however I am still unsure if Polynesia was the right area to do upgrades and work in, in my opinion it should of been mainland China (Dragon Khan area), because I see Polynesia as one of the best themed areas.
I am so glad they are spending money on the main park ready for 2016, because almost all things will be refreshed which needed refreshing. Looks like they are on for a good few years.
I am so glad they are spending money on the main park ready for 2016, because almost all things will be refreshed which needed refreshing. Looks like they are on for a good few years.
siralgenon
TS Member
20th Anniversary
PortAventura 1995-2015 '20 years Without Stopping'
The 20th Anniversary teaser includes shots of the new 5* Hotel Mansion de Lucy, Cirque Du Soleil: Amaluna and Ferrari Land.
PortAventura 1995-2015 '20 years Without Stopping'
The 20th Anniversary teaser includes shots of the new 5* Hotel Mansion de Lucy, Cirque Du Soleil: Amaluna and Ferrari Land.
Myself and @pritchardavid visited PA over Christmas, stopping at Hotel Portaventura from 24th - 27th December, thus getting 4 consecutive days on park included in the price.
Overall, had a very good stay. Both Christmas eve and Christmas day were very quiet with most queues being 0 minutes. Boxing day was a little busier, but longest queue was around 50 mins for Baco early morning, with average wait around 15-20 mins. 27th was very busy, and combined with fairly strong winds limiting the operation of Khan & Shambhala, and issues with Stampeda meant very long waits, and thus decided to leave for Barcelona mid afternoon.
Despite the eagerness to watch a few shows, only got round to seeing the Una Navidad Especial, which I thought was very good. Sadly, the lure of Shambhala & Khan led us to missing the others.
In terms of general Christmas feel, the park felt a bit spartan in decoration, though at night it did look a lot better once everywhere was lit up. Hotel PortAventura lacked any real effort in terms of decoration and Christmas feel, but Gold River looked lovely.
The end of day parade and fireworks were also quite good, though felt a little bit to cheesy and the depiction of the three wise men traveling up the lake before the fireworks to be a bit cringeworthy, but at least it played to the Christmas spirit.
In terms of operations, park wise, Baco was on two trains all the time, all the others were on one train operation (one each side on Stampeda
). We had to wait sat on Shambhala more than once for more people as they did not seem to want to send the train unless it was full, but on Stampeda they were only filling the front four or five rows, and thus ensuring the queue remained at a minimum at the bottom of the first ramp from the station. This changed when it got busier on Boxing Day, which meant we finally got back row and could enjoy having our backs destroyed. .
Operations on 27th were dire, with only coasters running properly were Tomahawk & Baco. Stampeda at 12 noon opening, straight away went to 'Not in Service' meaning the huge queue in front of us dispersed, only for the staff member to start letting those left to enter the ride. Good for us, as we stayed, and it did indeed close again shortly after we rode it. That was the only ride we did that day, having bailed from both Khan and Shambhala queues after not moving for over 30 minutes or so.
Resort side, the offering at Hotel PortAventura are quite poor, as was the information regarding what was included as part of our package for the stay. We discovered there was a buffet on Christmas Eve, and on asking, found this was included in our package. We knew nothing of this originally, and we still were unsure whether it included drinks or not, which as it transpired, it did. Nice buffet though, and I guess, a nice surprise too by all accounts.
That was the best thing though about this hotel. Had very little to offer, especially after 10:30pm. There is basically nowhere for two adults to go to relax and have a drink after this time. There is a small cafe, which serves alcohol too, but with kids running riot and a general ambiance of despair, as Dave put it, it felt like a rec room.
Gold River has a much better ambiance, better restaurants, and also a bar that is open until 0:30. We went for a meal at the Grand Opera restaurant. Excellent meal, with lovely staff. Following this we went to the Saloon Bar to catch the end of the evening entertainment and then on to the Lobby Bar until around 1am. Much better than the offering at the Hotel PortAventura. This did lead to an issue though: We were told we could get transport back to Hotel PA, but when we asked around 1am we were told that it was not available at that time and they could call us a taxi. We decided to walk instead. When the park is open, this is a short 10 minute walk, but when closed, despite being not that far apart, it involves walking along the access road in the the wrong direction, up an unlit road and back on yourself along the main road. A journey of 2 miles in total, taking 35 minutes. Also, there are no signs directing you back to Hotel PA, so if you miss the unlit road you need to walk up, that could add an extra mile or so on to your walk. After a really good day on park and an enjoyable evening too, this kind of marred the whole day somewhat.
Overall, despite the niggles, some which are quite major, such as promised transport not coming to fruition, I did kind of enjoy it. Though when ever I get round to visiting PA again, I will most likely pay that little bit extra at stay in Gold River, as that hotel seems to offer the better facilities for adults who don't have children and have no desire to be tucked up in bed by 10:30pm.
Overall, had a very good stay. Both Christmas eve and Christmas day were very quiet with most queues being 0 minutes. Boxing day was a little busier, but longest queue was around 50 mins for Baco early morning, with average wait around 15-20 mins. 27th was very busy, and combined with fairly strong winds limiting the operation of Khan & Shambhala, and issues with Stampeda meant very long waits, and thus decided to leave for Barcelona mid afternoon.
Despite the eagerness to watch a few shows, only got round to seeing the Una Navidad Especial, which I thought was very good. Sadly, the lure of Shambhala & Khan led us to missing the others.
In terms of general Christmas feel, the park felt a bit spartan in decoration, though at night it did look a lot better once everywhere was lit up. Hotel PortAventura lacked any real effort in terms of decoration and Christmas feel, but Gold River looked lovely.
The end of day parade and fireworks were also quite good, though felt a little bit to cheesy and the depiction of the three wise men traveling up the lake before the fireworks to be a bit cringeworthy, but at least it played to the Christmas spirit.
In terms of operations, park wise, Baco was on two trains all the time, all the others were on one train operation (one each side on Stampeda
). We had to wait sat on Shambhala more than once for more people as they did not seem to want to send the train unless it was full, but on Stampeda they were only filling the front four or five rows, and thus ensuring the queue remained at a minimum at the bottom of the first ramp from the station. This changed when it got busier on Boxing Day, which meant we finally got back row and could enjoy having our backs destroyed. . Operations on 27th were dire, with only coasters running properly were Tomahawk & Baco. Stampeda at 12 noon opening, straight away went to 'Not in Service' meaning the huge queue in front of us dispersed, only for the staff member to start letting those left to enter the ride. Good for us, as we stayed, and it did indeed close again shortly after we rode it. That was the only ride we did that day, having bailed from both Khan and Shambhala queues after not moving for over 30 minutes or so.
Resort side, the offering at Hotel PortAventura are quite poor, as was the information regarding what was included as part of our package for the stay. We discovered there was a buffet on Christmas Eve, and on asking, found this was included in our package. We knew nothing of this originally, and we still were unsure whether it included drinks or not, which as it transpired, it did. Nice buffet though, and I guess, a nice surprise too by all accounts.
That was the best thing though about this hotel. Had very little to offer, especially after 10:30pm. There is basically nowhere for two adults to go to relax and have a drink after this time. There is a small cafe, which serves alcohol too, but with kids running riot and a general ambiance of despair, as Dave put it, it felt like a rec room.
Gold River has a much better ambiance, better restaurants, and also a bar that is open until 0:30. We went for a meal at the Grand Opera restaurant. Excellent meal, with lovely staff. Following this we went to the Saloon Bar to catch the end of the evening entertainment and then on to the Lobby Bar until around 1am. Much better than the offering at the Hotel PortAventura. This did lead to an issue though: We were told we could get transport back to Hotel PA, but when we asked around 1am we were told that it was not available at that time and they could call us a taxi. We decided to walk instead. When the park is open, this is a short 10 minute walk, but when closed, despite being not that far apart, it involves walking along the access road in the the wrong direction, up an unlit road and back on yourself along the main road. A journey of 2 miles in total, taking 35 minutes. Also, there are no signs directing you back to Hotel PA, so if you miss the unlit road you need to walk up, that could add an extra mile or so on to your walk. After a really good day on park and an enjoyable evening too, this kind of marred the whole day somewhat.
Overall, despite the niggles, some which are quite major, such as promised transport not coming to fruition, I did kind of enjoy it. Though when ever I get round to visiting PA again, I will most likely pay that little bit extra at stay in Gold River, as that hotel seems to offer the better facilities for adults who don't have children and have no desire to be tucked up in bed by 10:30pm.
siralgenon
TS Member
Season Finale 2014
Tonight PortAventura Park closes it's gates for the final time during the 2014 season, this evening a special version of FiestAventura returns along with a celebratory cavalcade and parade to end the season on a high. This season PortAventura unveiled their latest themed world 'Asia' alongside new attraction Angkor: Adventure in the Lost Kingdom, PortAventura and Cirque Du Soleil joined to present Kooza, the beginning of a 5 year partnership between the two groups, and 2014 saw the last production of the PortAventura Generation trilogy (Music Generation, We Are Music Generation and Generation Forever) to name a few events. From tomorrow PortAventura will begin to prepare the Resort for the 20th Anniversary celebrations starting in the 2015 season, which PortAventura have promised to be full of surprises, excitement and unforgettable memories.
Tonight PortAventura Park closes it's gates for the final time during the 2014 season, this evening a special version of FiestAventura returns along with a celebratory cavalcade and parade to end the season on a high. This season PortAventura unveiled their latest themed world 'Asia' alongside new attraction Angkor: Adventure in the Lost Kingdom, PortAventura and Cirque Du Soleil joined to present Kooza, the beginning of a 5 year partnership between the two groups, and 2014 saw the last production of the PortAventura Generation trilogy (Music Generation, We Are Music Generation and Generation Forever) to name a few events. From tomorrow PortAventura will begin to prepare the Resort for the 20th Anniversary celebrations starting in the 2015 season, which PortAventura have promised to be full of surprises, excitement and unforgettable memories.
siralgenon
TS Member
New for 2015: The Callaghan Building at Hotel Gold River 4*Superior
More information has been released about the new Deluxe Bedrooms at Hotel Gold River. The new Callaghan building (home to the family who discovered the gold in the river) will feature 78 Deluxe bedrooms, a private restaurant and exclusive check-in. These bedrooms are to be the new premium range at Hotel Gold River now Hotel Mansion De Lucy is becoming a separate 5* Hotel. Hotel Gold River now has 578 bedrooms making it the largest Resort Hotel.
Deluxe Callaghan Bedrooms include: safe, air conditioning, heating, shower and bathtub, hair dryer, free toiletries, telephone, mini bar, 40" flat screen TV with satellite channels. Room surface area approx. 32m2.
More information has been released about the new Deluxe Bedrooms at Hotel Gold River. The new Callaghan building (home to the family who discovered the gold in the river) will feature 78 Deluxe bedrooms, a private restaurant and exclusive check-in. These bedrooms are to be the new premium range at Hotel Gold River now Hotel Mansion De Lucy is becoming a separate 5* Hotel. Hotel Gold River now has 578 bedrooms making it the largest Resort Hotel.
Deluxe Callaghan Bedrooms include: safe, air conditioning, heating, shower and bathtub, hair dryer, free toiletries, telephone, mini bar, 40" flat screen TV with satellite channels. Room surface area approx. 32m2.
- Free unlimited access to PortAventura Park
- Discounted tickets to Costa Caribe Aquatic Park
- Preferential booking for table service restaurants in PortAventuraPark
- Free Pick-up service at shops
- Free Wi-Fi
- Separate and exclusive reception desk.
- Exclusive parking
- Personal concierge service.
- Exclusive buffet breakfast for these 78 rooms.
- PortAventura Express Premium
- Bathrobes and slippers
- Swimming pool towels
- Free gift for kids
- VIP amenities
- Minibar service (welcome package with free soft drinks)
- Luggage delivery and collection service
siralgenon
TS Member
PortAventura Hotels are huge, I only found out how many rooms they had the other week:
Hotel Gold River - 578
Hotel PortAventura - 500
Hotel Caribe - 500
Hotel El Paso - 500
Hotel Mansion De Lucy - 31
Club San Juan at Hotel Caribe - 26
Bubblegum
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Wickerman
I've only ever stayed in Hotel El Paso, (2005 and 2007) but even back then I thought the hotel seemed huge, besides all the little blocks scattered around the pools there was the main bulky hotel. I'll always love how you could go up some steps besides the building that hosted the kids club and walk up onto the roof, you could spot Dragon Khan and the recently built Hurakan Condor excellently up there!
siralgenon
TS Member
20th Anniversary
Today the 2015 Resort Map has been released. (both Parks have their own separate maps)
Today the 2015 Resort Map has been released. (both Parks have their own separate maps)
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